Local Farms/Healthy Kids

For the second year, LPPO is a member of Priorities for a Healthy Washington, a statewide, environmental legislative coalition that has been incredibly successful in lobbying for creation care. Along with Earth Ministry, LPPO brings the rich tradition of faith-based enviromental advocacy to the coalition and helps to shape the coalition's shared agenda including Climate Action and Green Jobs, Local Farms/Healthy Kids, Evergreen Cities, and Local Solutions to Global Warming. Local Farms/Healthy Kids is of particular interest for LPPO as the legislative proposal is marriage of two issues in which the advocacy ministries of the ELCA has been heavily involved; agriculture and hunger. Local Farms/Healthy Kids will make Washington a national leader in getting locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables to those who need it most by:

Making it possible: This bill will expand children’s access to locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables by easing purchasing restric tions that currently make it difficult for schools and institutions to buy from local farms.
Forging connections: Establishing a state “Farm To School” program that will connect schools with community farmers, and will provide necessary information and technical assistance to both school districts and farms.
Getting good food into the classroom: Washington will enact a Washington Grown Fruits and Vegetables Program that will fund a fresh food snack program in schools with high numbers of low-income students.
Helping those who need it most: This effort will make it easier for low income families to purchase locally grown food by enabling farmers markets to accept food stamps, increasing funding of the Farmers Market Nutrition Program and creating pilot projects for food banks to purchase fresh food directly from Washington farms.

Take Action!

Local Farms/Healthy Kids has been assigned a bill number and committee hearing in both the House and the Senate. Senate Bill 6483 is before the Agriculture and Rural Economic Development Committee at and House Bill 2798 is before the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. Please send an email to your legislators in support of this legislation. Remember, your email is more effective if you take a few minutes to personalize your message!

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Support SB6483/HB2798 Local Farms/Healthy Kids

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

Please support SB 6483/HB 2798, the Local Farms/Healthy Kids and Communities Act. This legislation increases kids' access to produce while supporting local agriculture.

By increasing access to produce in public schools, children who otherwise would have minimal access to produce will eat healthier, leading to better health outcomes such as decreased obesity.

Enabling school districts to more easily purchase produce from local farmers will support all Washingtonians involved in the food farm process from farmers to food packagers and distributors.

Again, please support Local Farms/Healthy Kids!

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
January 22, 2008

Background Information

Making it possible: This bill will expand children’s access to locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables by easing purchasing restric tions that currently make it difficult for schools and institutions to buy from local farms.
Forging connections: Establishing a state “Farm To School” program that will connect schools with community farmers, and will provide necessary information and technical assistance to both school districts and farms.
Getting good food into the classroom: Washington will enact a Washington Grown Fruits and Vegetables Program that will fund a fresh food snack program in schools with high numbers of low-income students.
Helping those who need it most: This effort will make it easier for low income families to purchase locally grown food by enabling farmers markets to accept food stamps, increasing funding of the Farmers Market Nutrition Program and creating pilot projects for food banks to purchase fresh food directly from Washington farms.